Mini-channel heat exchangers are used in many systems to reduce the temperature of a working fluid (e.g., hydraulic fluid, compressor bleed air, liquid coolant, water, refrigerant, etc.). Mini-channel heat exchangers are designed to be no heavier than necessary. This is particularly true for mini-channel heat exchangers used in the aerospace industry. One way of reducing weight of the mini-channel heat exchanger is by forming the mini-channel heat exchanger from as thin of a material as possible.
If the material is too thin, however, the high temperature working fluid flowing through the mini-channel heat exchanger can impart transient thermal stresses to the mini-channel heat exchanger, which can weaken the mini-channel heat exchanger's structure. This can increase the risk of the mini-channel heat exchanger being damaged during operation. One way to decrease the risk of damage from transient thermal stresses is to thicken the material that the mini-channel heat exchanger is formed from, but this can result in unnecessary weight increase. It is, therefore, desirable to optimize the thickness of the material forming the mini-channel heat exchanger without adding unnecessary weight.